


forfeit your life (don't)

by AngelicSigils



Category: Band of Brothers
Genre: Implied/Referenced Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, M/M, death mentioned but it doesn't actually happen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-02
Updated: 2015-06-02
Packaged: 2018-04-02 10:44:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 832
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4057063
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AngelicSigils/pseuds/AngelicSigils
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>@myself why did i write this and @you sorry lmao</p>
    </blockquote>





	forfeit your life (don't)

**Author's Note:**

> @myself why did i write this and @you sorry lmao

i. When he is young, Lewis's father takes him into his office. It isn't the first time he's been in it. It's large and circular and covered in various awards and diplomas and above all else, paperwork. His father sits down behind his desk and Lewis sits in front of him. He knows the company will belong to him one day, though he doesn't want it and his father gives the same speech again. "Lewis," He says in his gruff voice, hardened by the whiskey that Lewis himself now drinks. "You've got to take responsibility. One day, this company will be yours." Lewis thinks through the rest of the speech in his head. I won't be around to run this company forever- "Would you die for this company?" and Lewis's quick mind grinds suddenly to a halt. He thinks what his father is asking is not "would you die for this company?" it's "would you die for me?"

"Yes." Lewis says. (It's not the truth.)

ii. Lewis gets married. It seems like the thing to do. His wife is a wonderful girl, in his mother’s words, from a well-to-do family. Her name is Katherine; with her blonde hair and soft blue eyes, she's widely considered to be the most beautiful girl on the East Coast. Lewis despises her. It's not as bad as it sounds, though, because she loathes him too. After all, they are both here to mollify their overbearing parents. Till death do us part Lewis pledges, and she to him.

(He's lying, and he can see it in her eyes that she is too.)

iii. The country is at war, so Lewis joins the army. He joins the airborne, thinking maybe I'll jump out of a plane and break both my legs. That would show them, thinking of his father, and his wife. (Maybe he won't though, thinking of his daughter with blue, blue eyes but his dark hair and grass stains on her bony little knees.) "Would you die for your country?" They ask. "Will you sacrifice your life for the ones you love?" He thinks of his father, that day in his office. But then he thinks of his daughter and no one else.

(He wouldn't die for them, he wouldn't)

iv. Lewis meets a man. His wit is sharp and subtle and he drags him back to his bunk when he's too drunk to do it himself. He doesn't drink, and the boys call him quaker. Lewis takes him to a bar and he orders an ice cream sundae, and looks about as happy as he's ever seen him. His name is Dick Winters and he doesn't ask for Lewis's life.

(He's the first.)

v. Lewis gets hit. Hit in the head and from the way Dick is looking at him, he's scared he might be dying. I don't wanna die, I don't wanna die, I don't wanna die. He is still staring at Lewis. Am I alright?

(He will not die for them.)

He thinks he'd die for Dick. Lewis wants to tell him.

vi. He tells him. Dick is complaining about his stiff leg, the one that was hit with the ricochet and Lewis tells him. "I'd die for you, you know." Dick looks confused. Then his face contorts with an emotion Lewis can't even begin to comprehend.

"Don't die for me." He whispers, and Lewis doesn't understand. They all wanted him to die for them. His father, evidence of his achievements strewn across every wall, every desk but not inside him. His wife, beautiful, any man would want her except for him and she doesn't want him either. Even the goddamn military, who knew his name and rank and that alone, are asking him to die. It's all he's ever known. "Live for me, and more importantly yourself, Nix." Dick says and Lewis thinks it may be the most important thing anyone's ever said to him.

(He loves him, he'll live for him)

vii. His wife leaves him. Takes their daughter, his money, his dog for christ's sake, she takes everything. Well, not everything. After all, Lewis thinks as he watches Dick talk to Speirs, she can't take what she can't touch.

(Loves him, loves him, loves him)

viii. They make it. He and dick, they make it, Germany surrenders and they're both, more or less, still in one piece. When Lewis hears the first thing he does is tell Dick, and he's so happy that he grabs him by the hands and spins around the room. Dick is smiling that small private smile of his as he squeezes Lew's hands. Then he remembers, "I'm still living for you." Lewis says, and he means it. means it more than anything he's said in his entire life. Dick gasps a little.

"Nix..." he murmurs, and then he's leaning down, down so that their lips meet. It's perfect.

(He'll live for him, he loves him. He'll live the rest of his life next to him.)

**Author's Note:**

> kudos/comments are appreciated! also i wrote this in like 1.5 hours so?? tell me if u find a mistake


End file.
